Grave Flower
by sixofhearts1
Summary: Set at the end of Sleeper, what if Spike had gone through with the First’s plans? Now Buffy's friends search desprately, hoping against hope that she's alive. Angel heads to Sunnydale to deal with a piece of his past.
1. That Look of Peace

Title: Grave Flower  
  
Author: Bianca Masiello  
  
Disclaimer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Whedon, FX, UPN, Mutant Enemy, blah blah. we know the drill.  
  
Setting/Author's Notes: Set at the end of Sleeper (Sleeper's set after Conversations With Dead People where Will sees the First and Dawn sees her mom. It is the episode that deals with Spike killing again. Buffy goes to the house to find all the people Spike sired. You'll recall it once you start reading. Human memories are beautiful that way.) Twist: Anya and Xander got married! Also, Tara's wound wasn't fatal, so she lived. This means Willow never got all evil veiny and tried to end the world (though almost losing Tara made Willow listen to her friends and she cut way back on her magic). I had to cut out some of the Scoobie angst to deal with the sadness and fun I was going to brew up. We all know that Sleeper also deals with Giles being all in the way of an axe, well, forget it.  
  
Walking slow along the path She dare not turn or look back The child like moon's eerie glow The light a place she dare not go May all the dark things hide and cower As she walks the path with her grave flower -Bianca Masiello  
  
Synopsis: Set at the end of Sleeper, what if Spike had gone through with the First's plans? Touch of AU: Tara's alive, and Xand and Anya got hitched. Spuffy but tasteful in a dark way.  
  
------  
  
That Look of Peace  
  
She hesitated just outside the door. It was half open, the cold air filtering out onto the street, cutting right through the warm spring night. She shivered. She stepped inside and took a sidelong glance at the thermostat. The dial was resting just above 35 degrees.  
  
All of her slayer senses were screaming. Good God, Buffy. What are you doing here?! This went against everything she'd learned as Giles' charge. But still, she walked to the basement door that was also left thoughtlessly open.  
  
Her senses reeled, the hair on the back of her neck stood up. Something here was terribly wrong. The house reverberated with death and an evil that was drawn to the mortal warmth of her skin, staining her. It was almost as though she could taste the bitter black fog in the back of her throat, but the Slayer knew there was nothing of the sort there. She was imagining it.  
  
Spike must have heard her because he called up the basement stairs, "Down here." Buffy pulled open the door and moved onto the platform wearily. That dark sensation wouldn't leave her and her slayer senses pulled at her to be more alert and level headed.  
  
"You won't come down? I understand. It's a risky proposition." He spoke, drawing her attention back to the vampire. Buffy watched as Spike's eyes darted down to something in front of him on the steps. Though her eyes were blind to the apparition.  
  
He saw it just fine, blocking his way, "There's an order. The slayer's not in order. But it can't hurt to play. Get your claws in the mouse, you know?" The figure was Spike for all intensive purposes, other than it really wasn't.  
  
"You are not here." Spike said in a low voice, ambling away from the bottom of the steps. As if she'd made up her mind, Buffy started down the steps. She seemed strong and at the same time, her heart was with Spike.  
  
"All right. What do you want to show me?" She asked. The Slayer stepped down onto the dirt floor next to him. He glanced at her then started slowly for the other end of the basement.  
  
"I've been remembering." He started weakly, "The girl. I walked her home. The one you saw. And the one before that. And I think I killed her. And I think I-I think I killed the lady who lived here. And there might be others."  
  
He was prepared for the shock in her voice. He was just as horrified with himself and was ready to take on her blame and disgust.  
  
"Oh, my God." She said staggered.  
  
The blond vampire moved to the center of the room littered with shallow graves to the point where she was forced to follow him on a narrow path. "Here. I-I think I buried them here."  
  
"Spike, why?" she questioned. Her curiosity was dead, this, she needed to know.  
  
"Well, I don't know, do I? I don't even know how. Shouldn't be able-," His voice trailed off as his eyes landed on the ghost of himself pacing behind them near the stairs.  
  
"Early one morning, just as the sun was rising, I heard the fair maid sing in the valley down below. Oh, don't deceive me. Oh never leave me." Casually slides himself up onto the stairs, facing Spike, "How could you use a poor maid so?" The vision sang, it's familiar blue eyes sparkling in the dim light.  
  
"What?" The Slayer tried to recall his attention, "What is it?" she paused, starting to worry, "Spike!"  
  
With wide eyes, Buffy watched as Spike vamped out. With a roar, he turned on her. She reached into her coat in the blink of an eye and retrieved her stake. Spike saw it as soon as she's retrieved it and twisted it out of her hand. The cold blue eye'd vampire slung the wood behind him into a row of bottles that shattered with a teeth clenching smash.  
  
She reacted fast as he came at her again. Buffy ducked under his charge and used his momentum against him, throwing Spike a few feet away in the direction of the lost stake. "What are you doing?" she demanded, frightened.  
  
Before the Slayer had another moment to react, Spike was up again. A shard of glass shimmered in his hand. He came at her and wielded the edge at her with deadly accuracy, slicing through the upper part of her left arm.  
  
"Oh!" Buffy ducked out of his way before he could take a second swipe. He came back and she turned to him kicking the glass from his hand. He quickly went to punch her jaw as she landed, but she was able to block him. She reached forward and gave him a good shove. Spike tumbled backwards to the ground.  
  
"Spike, listen to me, you don't want to do this." She tried to say as he got back up. Spike pushed her out of his way.  
  
"And it's just about to get fun." The spectating presence chuckled.  
  
The shallow graves moaned unnaturally as the first few hands dug out from under the dirt. The dead were up, and fast, their hungry gold eyes fixed on the Slayer.  
  
Glancing around at the fresh vampires, the reality of the situation made her sick "Oh, God!"  
  
Spike watched as his childe rose. They startled him; his soul anyway, was mortified. But his demon was laughing inside him, so very pleased with tantalizing aroma of fear rolling off the golden haired Slayer in waves.  
  
"You know what I want you to do." He said quietly, only to Spike. The soulful vampire wanted to shake his head no. To rip the thing off the stairs and smash it's head in so the talking, the screaming, and the singing would just stop.  
  
It took only a minute for his army to overpower her. She struggled against their hold, but there were just too many and she just wasn't prepared.  
  
"They're waiting for you. Take her, taste her, make her weak." the William the Bloody look-alike whispered, and Spike couldn't help but listen. He rose from the corner he'd crumpled into and walked towards Buffy.  
  
As he neared her, the Slayer couldn't help see the change in his eyes. With menacing pleasure, he stepped up to her. He tilted his head slightly, intrigued, like she'd noticed him do a hundred times before, but never like this.  
  
"Spike, no!" She pleaded, bending her knees, trying to sink out of his reach, but the vampires held her still, captive. He lowered his face close to hers, moving his head from one side of her neck, over to the left. She could feel his cool, even breath on the nape of her neck.  
  
Buffy felt his features twist to their demon form. And she closed her eyes tight, waiting.  
  
"She'll make you whole again," The First egged him on with promises. Spike rolled the thought around in his hazy head, though utterly unable to focus.  
  
Buffy heard the demon rattle deep with in his chest as he opened his mouth wide and bit down on her jugular. She cried out, her eyes shot open as his cold teeth penetrated agonizingly into her like a hot knife through butter, except with a more satisfying crunch. And he drank of her, deeply.  
  
She remembered the sensation well. Her blood, her warm life, draining away. But it was her choice before. She did it to save the man she loved. It wasn't something she regretted.  
  
Her thoughts were drowned out by the sensation. She heard Spike drinking her blood. She felt her heart growing faint. The Slayer could barely stand on her own. Spike slid an arm around her waist and lifted her away from the other vampires, who quietly and calmly left the basement.  
  
He finally pulled back, after what seemed like an eternity, his now human mouth dripping with the Slayer's blood. Why wasn't she dead? She looked up into his deep blue eyes. They were clearer now, almost completely free of rage and confusion. Her head tilted back lightly, weakly. Spike let his fingers dip into her hair as he lifted her head. That's when he leaned in to kiss her.  
  
Not having the strength left to fight him. She merely struggled to take her last breaths, hot tears rolling out of the corner of her eyes. This is it. The end. Buffy felt his lips press against hers and she couldn't help remember Spike's words about the last two Slayers he'd killed. They had a look of peace on their faces at death. She would never know that peace.  
  
She only tasted his blood in her mouth as it slipped down the back of her throat. So cold and metallic. He'd bitten into his own lip. Spike poisoned her.  
  
------ 


	2. Haunts

Title: Grave Flower  
  
Author: Bianca Masiello  
  
Disclaimer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Whedon, FX, UPN, Mutant Enemy, blah blah. we know the drill.  
  
Synopsis: Set at the end of Sleeper, what if Spike had gone through with the First's plans? Touch of AU: Tara's alive, and Xand and Anya got hitched. Spuffy but tasteful in a dark way.  
  
------  
  
Haunts  
  
He'd come in last night with no trouble at all. Xander was asleep and Anya had left before he arrived. Though now, the flat was alive with its usual activity. The blond vamp listened as the boy started his coffee and entered the shower.  
  
He got up and slipped into a pair of clean black jeans and a black tee. Barefoot, he pulled the door open an inch to make sure boy wonder had closed the blinds properly. No sunlight filtered into the apartment.  
  
Spike pulled open the door the rest of the way and walked out into the kitchen. He lazily walked towards the fridge and pulled it open the tiny 24 watt bulb flickered to life as Spike reached in for a blood packet knowing exactly where they were. Though, oddly realizing he wasn't hungry as he usually was this time of morning, Spike tossed the plastic pack back into the box and closed the door.  
  
The phone started to ring. It wasn't his job to be Xander's secretary so he just let it ring.  
  
BEEP. "Xander, you were asleep when I got home... Damn it, you're in the shower." Anya started as if she could hear the water running, completely frustrated. "Everyone's at the shop, they woke me up early too. But it's important. Buffy never came home. If Spike's there, don't tip him off, just drag him over here where we have stakes and crosses. It's raining so no sunshiny worries. Please hurry, I can't stand to see Dawn get teary eyed again. It's too damn early." No goodbye, though Spike wouldn't have heard it even if there was one.  
  
He'd rushed into his room, pulled his boots on, had his worn jeans jacket in hand and was out the door before Xander even turned the water off.  
  
------  
  
The tiny bell rang announcing the arrival of Xander. Their sleepy heads shot up. He was clothed for the day in work jeans and a rain jacket and came bearing a tray of Starbucks.  
  
"Hey," He greeted. "So what's the sitch?"  
  
"Where's Spike?" Tara asked quickly, almost incredulous.  
  
"I was specific about the not tipping off of Spike and bringing one bleached vampire with you." Anya said, her aggravated tone matched the one from their answering machine. "Though coffee's nice." She said more quietly with a half smile to her husband.  
  
"Guys?" Willow reminded them. Xander broke eye contact with Anya and glanced at his friend. "Where's Spike?" Dawn finally spoke up.  
  
Xander shook his head, "He came home this morning, late. Bloodsucker was gone before I got out of the shower and listened to your message. Never even got to thank him for the shiner." Xander smirked. The blue and black lines around his left eye were bright and evident.  
  
"So we can assume that he heard it first." Tara suggested. They all realized at the same time that things just went from bad to worse. Xander couldn't help look around at them and feel afraid.  
  
"Well, Buffy will be back soon. She probably had some big bad that kept her busy for a few hours." Xander tried to be optimistic.  
  
"Xand," Willow started, "She was out there looking for Spike. We're almost positive he's been feeding."  
  
"Besides, she'd never be late, to take me to school." Dawn spoke. Her frown was evident in her small voice. They fell into silence again.  
  
"Well, what can we do? There must be something." Anya started. The growing panic that everyone felt shone through in her fearlessly. Xander set the coffee down and took a few steps toward her. She looked up into his eyes, searched them for hope, then leaned into a gentle hug. His arms encircled her comfortingly.  
  
"Lets think, a-about what we know." Tara started leaning forward against the table. "Spike had a h-half hour head start on Buffy last night, when she left."  
  
Willow started to catch on. That hope she needed to continue sparked a flame behind her eyes, "Right. He, Spike, if he is feeding again than we should go over some of the more common feeding grounds in town."  
  
"The Bronze," Dawn contributed, "Is usually number one on a list of hits." She no longer sounded so sad, and this lifted them too.  
  
"Good. Oh! How bout the high school. Not so popular in the day time but after dark," Xander mentioned. Anya smiled at him supporting, he accepted it with a returning smile and pride.  
  
"The school, maybe." Willow leaned across the table and took a coffee.  
  
"It's light out already." Dawn spoke slowly. "What can we do during the day?"  
  
"Stop by the places Buffy normally goes. Home, her job at the school, B- bronze, shops." Tara said quietly.  
  
"The sewers!" Anya squealed and all heads turned to her. "Well, it occurred to me, hey, sewers. Vampires love the sewers. No sunlight and they go all over Sunnydale, like a big Vampire Express." Anya said happily and pointedly. Every one agreed.  
  
"Buffy probably thought of that too. She could be down there tracking Spike." Willow nodded, glancing back at Tara.  
  
"She c-could be down there hurt." Tara said in all reality, not really wanting to speak the words. The silence engulfed them again as their minds traveled to their own dark places.  
  
"Plan A," Xander spoke up, releasing Anya from the hug, but still holding tight to her hand.  
  
"Groups, searches of Buffy's daytime places. Tara, Willow and Dawn, can you check the house a few times today, and the Bronze?" He took charge.  
  
"Absolutely." Willow nodded.  
  
"I had classes, but I can get notes," Tara added. "Dawny," she looked over at the young girl, "Don't worry about school," The witch smiled.  
  
"Cool," Dawn commented half heartedly.  
  
"Alright then, Anya and I can stop by the school, see if she called in. We'll take a sweep of the graveyard for good measure." He set his coffee down beside Willow.  
  
"We s-should meet back here, about three, to go underground." Tara added.  
  
"It's settled then," Xander half smiled.  
  
"What if, I mean," Dawn started, "What if we find Spike,"  
  
They weren't really sure. That wasn't the intent of the plan. Xander decided, "Suit up, stakes crosses, holy water. The whole shebang, just incase."  
  
------  
  
The club's crowds were dwindling. The late night partiers were starting to drain away, leaving in groups for their homes or dorms. The band had packed up an hour or more before, now records played over the speakers.  
  
The two witches and the Slayer's little sister ambled across the dance floor and up the set of stairs. Dawn was leading the caboose, so she had plenty of time to fall back, look around. But Tara had eyes like a hawk and never seemed to lose Dawn. The brunette girl was thankful for Tara's love and care.  
  
She glanced over the railing of the balcony, scanning the thin crowd. There was no one she recognized.  
  
"What do you think?" Willow asked looking around. Tara stood beside her, further down the catwalk near the end.  
  
"She's not here," Tara whispered. Her eyes glanced around. The bar tender was cleaning up, some of the waitresses were cleaning the tables and sweeping the floors. Tara didn't think they'd ever been here this particular time in the morning. It was so damn early, that weird in between time, when you were supposed to be waking up, not searching an empty club for a vampire slayer.  
  
Dawn squeaked quietly in distress. Both girls turned at the same time to see Dawn being held by her throat. A young woman, in full vamp face, tightly gripping the littlest slayerett with pure pleasure flashing across her yellow eyes.  
  
"Dawny," Tara whispered.  
  
"Well hello there," She smiled warmly. "What a pleasant surprise," she paused, jerking Dawn to get a reaction out of her like a trapped puppy. "Breakfast."  
  
Willow started to search her pockets low key, "Hey, I'm sure we can settle this in a," she gripped the bottle, uncapped it, "In a civilized way," she was ready.  
  
"We're as uncivilized a beast can be." She hissed.  
  
"Dawn, duck!" Willow yelled. Dawn used the woman's surprise to drop down. Willow brought the bottle forward and slung it's contents at the woman. She screamed, trying to get the burning solution off of her skin.  
  
"Let's go," Tara said quickly. Dawn scrambled forward, towards the girls.  
  
"Spike said you were a bitch!" She crumpled back down into her seat, rocking back and forth. The sizzling sound had stopped. And so had the Scoobies.  
  
"What?" Tara asked. She shot a look at Willow and then at Dawn.  
  
"You do know him. Please tell me he wasn't lying about this too." The blond hissed.  
  
"W-well, no. I mean, we know him. Did he sire you?" Willow asked tentatively. The woman looked up for the first time, her left cheek was red and badly swollen. She would heal.  
  
"Yeah, dirty bastard. Did anybody ask if I wanted to be a vampire?" She whined. "No, just bit me." She looked and sounded like she might start crying.  
  
"Thank you, and we're sorry." Tara added sympathetically as they quickly turned to leave, holding Dawn by the arm protectively. They hurried into the shadow and down the stairs.  
  
"We even helped him claim that pretty Slayer he treasured. Not so much as a thanks."  
  
------ 


	3. Skin and Bone

Title: Grave Flower  
  
Author: Bianca Masiello  
  
Disclaimer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Whedon, FX, UPN, Mutant Enemy, blah blah. we know the drill.  
  
Walking slow along the path She dare not turn or look back The child like moon's eerie glow The light a place she dare not go May all the dark things hide and cower As she walks the path with her grave flower -Bianca Masiello  
  
Synopsis: Set at the end of Sleeper, what if Spike had gone through with the First's plans? Touch of AU: Tara's alive, and Xand and Anya got hitched. Spuffy but tasteful in a dark way.  
  
------  
  
Skin and Bone  
  
In the noon sky, where the sun normally rested by a thread, was darkness. The clouds swathed any blue pigment of the horizon and had buried the sun a day ago. Xander and Anya moved up to the office door. The school was busy; each class room they passed was alive with voices and laughter.  
  
Anya pulled the door open, slipping inside before Xander. He held the door for her and allowed it to close on its own accord behind them. The principle's door was already open.  
  
"If I hear of his again, I'm sure you know the drill by now, Cooper."  
  
Anya glanced at Xander before heading over to Buffy's desk. He turned back to the office and stepped up to the door way. A young man, hooligan looking, exited cockily, head held high.  
  
"Next." The principle said flippantly, as if to amuse himself. Xander stepped inside.  
  
The principle looked up, "Oh, hello. Is there something I can help you with?" The young black man asked pleasantly. Xander pressed his hands together.  
  
"You're councilor, Buffy Summers, has she been in today?" He asked. Principle Wood leaned back in his chair.  
  
"Fraid not. She would have been a big help today, though she never called in. Why, is something wrong?" He asked, as if Xander's appearance suddenly brought some kind of bad omen.  
  
"No, no. It's um. . ." He fumbled.  
  
"It's her birthday," Anya said appearing in the door way behind him. "We wanted to surprise her, take her to, mm, lunch." Anya smiled. Principle Wood visibly relaxed.  
  
"Well, when you see the Birthday-Girl, be sure to tell her that I'll need to speak with her tomorrow, asap." Wood grinned. They both nodded their heads enthusiastically.  
  
"Can do. Leaving now. Bye." Anya said talking Xander's arm and pulling him out of the office with her.  
  
Once outside the school they started through the freshly pounding rain for Xander's car. "Well that was a bust. Thanks for the save, by the by." Xand smiled. Anya just waved her hand in never mind, pulling her coat tighter around her. Her shoulder length blond hair sticking to her face in sodden strands.  
  
"There was nothing at her desk. Though I have to say she is the single most unorganized per. . ."  
  
"Aun, focus? So the graveyard was empty, and she hasn't been by the school today. That leaves us."  
  
"Where we started if I'm correct." Anya said deadpan. Xander unlocked their machine with a beep and they got in quickly. "Maybe Willow and Tara did better." They sat in a brief silence, the rain beating uneven rhythms on the exterior of the car. It was muffled but beautiful, like a lullaby.  
  
"Maybe," Xander frowned, starting the car. Xander slipped it in gear as his heart sank knowing that worse just plummeted into dreadful. They'd never had to deal with this before. Buffy had always been able to handle herself, they could always count on her quips and courage in battle. Her strength and bravery infected everyone around her. Made them believe that they could win too. And so far, they hadn't lost yet.  
  
So far.  
  
------  
  
Eleven hours later, the Scoobies sat in the same places around the table at the Magic Box. Clothes and hair all damp, but drying. Anya was forced to close shop for the day, as no one had been there much at all. The three other coffee cups and one hot chocolate still sat in the same place on the table, now room temperature.  
  
"Well, what about the house," Xander quizzed, watching Willow frown and stroke the back of Tara's hand.  
  
She shook her head softly, "We stopped by a couple times, and no one had been there." Will explained.  
  
"And the Bronze?"  
  
"One vamp, Spike's childe." Dawn said. "I think we made her cry."  
  
"Another one?" Anya asked very upset. "That makes like, three guys, nine girls, right? That's too many."  
  
Xander shook his head. "We're in too deep here. We need,"  
  
"Buffy," Anya said, her voice cracked with panic. "How dare she go off and get hurt and not," she couldn't finish.  
  
"I was going to say Giles." Xander said more quietly. She glanced at him, her mouth formed a tiny o.  
  
"And, I can't help think that this Beneath Us thing, maybe it has something to do with, this." Willow tried to say. "Big bad, Spike diving off the deep end, Buffy missing."  
  
"It's possible," Tara added in agreement. "But how is it connected, and how do we fight it?" She asked. Willow just shook her head, not having any answers like that.  
  
"I think bringing our newest Evil into it is just putting too much on our plates," Xander pointed out. "Focus on Buffy first, then we go after Spike."  
  
"And we all know that's the order it's going to happen in." Anya said sarcastically. Xander shot a weary glance at his wife.  
  
"Aun," he said with caring warning.  
  
"No, she's right. Things don't always work out as planned." Willow agreed.  
  
"Better safe than sorry." Dawn fiddled with the stake they'd given her.  
  
Xander sighed, "Alright, Dawny, sorry but your holding the fort. We sweep the sewers while it's still light out. That's the best I've got." He said.  
  
"Giles," Anya reminded him quietly.  
  
"I'll call him." Dawn said, "I'll be here for a while anyway." She said reluctantly. Willow and Tara gave her sympathetic face, but Dawn understood that they couldn't risk her, especially with her sister, the Slayer, temporarily out of the game. But she never could help thinking that maybe they really might need her. She could fight.  
  
Her mind wandered back to the catwalk at the Bronze. Spike's childe had proven her wrong. She would have been vamp food if Will and Tara hadn't been there.  
  
"Be back at sundown," Tara assured her. "And I want to hear everything Giles said," she smiled. Tara always knew how to make her feel good, useful, even when Dawn was taking care of the easiest and simplest task, knowing they were just getting her out of the way.  
  
"Vampire Express, coming right up."  
  
------  
  
The constant drip around them was drowned out by the soft sloshing of water under their shoes.  
  
"This place gives me the willies," Willow commented quietly.  
  
"Me too," Tara frowned holding her flash light close to her, almost as close as her stake.  
  
"Buffy!" Xander called again. He'd been trying and trying, but to no avail. They'd been down countless tunnels and caves, and still, they hadn't seen any sign of life; natural or unnatural.  
  
"Buffy! It's not funny anymore!" Anya's voice echoed.  
  
"It was funny? Where was I?" Xander joked, his nervous giggle turned into an 'ow' as Anya elbowed him.  
  
"Buffy!" Tara called down a tunnel to their left. She held up the map again and turned it.  
  
"Do you see where we are?" Willow asked, peeking at the map.  
  
"Here," Tara motioned to a particularly long tunnel running south under the more residential side of town. "We're coming up on a sharp turn, that'll be the end of this line." She spoke.  
  
"Xander, it's getting late, we should head back." Anya said. "Things will be waking up soon. Things stronger than us, with more teeth," she said pointedly.  
  
"Buffy's out here somewhere. I just know." He said determined and called out again. "Buffy!"  
  
"We haven't checked the burned warehouse outside town, yet. O-or the old high school, also burned. . ." Willow said.  
  
"Those are good places to look," Tara said matter of factly.  
  
"Yes, and they're all above ground. And apparently charred," Anya froze, then whipped her light off to the right.  
  
They slowed down further, "What is it?" Xander asked. Anya shook her head.  
  
"I thought I saw," she pointed her light down the dark tunnel, searching, but finding nothing. "Nevermind." She muttered. "Can we please go now?" She turned around to face them, glancing down the way they came. She gasped.  
  
They turned to see what she was looking at. A pack of vampires stood growling and glaring at them with sick golden eyes glowing in the dark.  
  
"I think you should stay," one of the women said, "We'd love to play, want to join us?"  
  
"Eeesh, no." Xander said quickly. "Now ladies, I'm sure you don't want us, skin and bones, really." He said. Willow and Tara stood, frightened, but ready just a step behind Xander. Anya had taken her place fearlessly beside her husband.  
  
"Doesn't take much, still smells like blood to me," they whispered stalking closer.  
  
Xander's heart raced, his mind wrapped in prayer. "Where are you Buffy,"  
  
------  
  
She sat on top of the table sipping one of the coffees she'd heated up. One perk of them leaving was they left three full coffee cups sitting just in reach. It was tasty, had a nice zip to it that made Dawn smile inside.  
  
The phone rang and rang. She thought that maybe it was too late, or too early in England for Giles to answer. Either way, they needed him, and he should get the hell up and answer his phone.  
  
"Hello?" He sounded groggy.  
  
"Giles! God, finally." She sighed exasperated. "It's like what, 12 pm over there," "I slept in as I was working late, I am still a watcher you know." He said starting to sound more awake.  
  
"More like a stoner." She commented quickly.  
  
"Dawn, why did you call?" he asked. Dawn sipped her coffee, the reality she'd been dealing with drifted back to her.  
  
"So much had happened. There was this Benath You thing, I saw mom. Spike came back, with a soul. Now Spike's chips gone into critical failure and he's feeding again and Buffy's missing. We've looked every where and the only things that keep popping up are vamps that say Spike sired them." Dawn explained. "Giles, they're doing the best they can but,"  
  
"Dear lord," he said trying to keep up with her. "I understand," Giles frowned. "Buffy is strong, have faith that she's alright. Tell the others that I should be arriving no later than Thursday." He explained. Dawn was thankful for his words.  
  
"Giles, I'm scared." She admitted. "I want to help,"  
  
"The best thing you can do is support your friends, do as they say, and pray."  
  
------  
  
He knew that Giles would be on his way, now that Dawn had filled him in. And they would be coming for him. He'd left the Magic Box in a hurry though the sewers. He could feel the sun was just about to set and he wanted to be there when she woke up.  
  
Just up ahead, "Aun, no!"  
  
He took off running.  
  
------ 


	4. Awakening

Title: Grave Flower  
  
Author: Bianca Masiello  
  
Disclaimer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Whedon, FX, UPN, Mutant Enemy, blah blah. we know the drill.  
  
Significant Story Note: I feel like I should make a note on Spike's frame of mind in this story as it might be hard to grasp chapter by chapter. Season 7 Spike can be best explained by Three Doors Down 'Gone'. I use this example (not only because I think it's the best rock song released in the past five years) because it captures perfectly a human soul trapped in a paradox, an ether. The line, "Part of me is fighting this, but part of me is gone," portrays Spike in as few and precise words as I could find. Much like Angel, his soul is his conscience, but it does not replace the demon that he still carries. Simply put, he's torn. Because he's so torn, Spike won't always make the best decisions. When Buffy wakes up, he knew he should have staked her. She was a monster. But he couldn't bare losing her. In a sense, he wasn't strong enough to do the right thing (and his demon is still fighting for control and would give anything to live and feed side by side with his love. Not to mention the First's naughty influence over him.) That's basically exactly what I wanted to get across. Thanks!  
  
Walking slow along the path She dare not turn or look back The child like moon's eerie glow The light a place she dare not go May all the dark things hide and cower As she walks the path with her grave flower -Bianca Masiello  
  
Synopsis: Set at the end of Sleeper, what if Spike had gone through with the First's plans? Touch of AU: Tara's alive, and Xand and Anya got hitched. Spuffy but tasteful in a dark way.  
  
------  
  
Awakening  
  
The fight was hard. Xander ducked under a fist and tackled the vamp against a wall. Willow was busy with Tara trying to stake a strong looking male vamp. Anya had dusted one already and was fending off two more.  
  
Xander slammed the vamp's head against the wall and pulled out his stake while she was still stunned. He rammed it into her chest.  
  
"Damn," she breathed as she turned to dust at his shoes. Xander turned to see Anya punch a smaller female one in the face then shove her away, not paying attention to the male coming up behind her.  
  
"Aun, no!" he tried to warn her. The blond turned around, but it was too late. The female came back and grabbed her arms while the male tilted her head to the side. But he never got the chance to bite. Anya watched as the vamp turned to dust, with Xander standing in his wake.  
  
"Thanks." She smiled, and then smacked her head back, head butting the female vamp behind her. She struggled free and turned beside Xander to face the vamp.  
  
Tara and Willow were handling their two just fine. "Amin tusa glassio!" Tara chanted with power. The vamps they were fighting suddenly froze in place. Willow stopped, pulled her wrist out of the male's grasp and examined it.  
  
She glanced over at Tara who was smiling slightly. She reached out and pushed the vamp over. It went rocking to the ground and shattered into a cloud of dust. Willow got the idea and kicked hers over too. The female disappeared into its watery grave.  
  
"Did I ever tell you, you're amazing?" Willow asked happy, they were victorious. Tara just smiled back seductively.  
  
"You're fools! All of you." She yelled. Tara and Willow turned to see Xander and Anya pinning a female vamp against the wall.  
  
"Actually, I think they're pretty smart for their age," Anya commented.  
  
"Who sired you? Was it Spike?" Xander demanded.  
  
"Yea, the bleached wonder turned us," she frowned. "Then he left us to fend for our selves. The Hellmouth is a brutal place to grow up you know," she said, her face shifted back to it's human form. "Especially now."  
  
"Why's that?" Anya interrogated.  
  
"The First is back to take his rightful place on the throne. Everything's in the air, demons are getting' the hell out of dodge left and right." She explained.  
  
"The First," Willow repeated, "That sounds familiar," she turned to Tara for conformation. "I don't recall it, but we can ask Giles later." Tara nodded.  
  
"If you haven't heard by now, god, then you're already too far behind. The end is coming, and Spike or his childe are the least of your problems." She whispered. "You honestly thought your precious Slayer was going to be able to protect you forever?" she almost laughed.  
  
They were quiet, not sure how to respond. The vampire felt them slack around her with worry. So she took the chance. They caught her like a net as she tried to push through them. Xander and Anya slammed her back against the wall, a stake into her chest for good measure.  
  
"Ow, damn." She laughed. "First that tramp steals Spike from us, now her friends are going to finish the job. How poetic." She struggled against the weapon in her chest, barely grazing her heart.  
  
"What do you mean?" Xander asked incredulous. But she never had the chance to answer. Xander watched her green eyes dart from him to something behind him, though he never had a moment to turn around. Some thing bumped into him and he pressed the stake the rest of the way into her chest. The blond vamp turned to dust.  
  
"Hey!" Xander turned around, but there was no one there.  
  
------  
  
Dawn heard them coming in the basement and quickly threw the empty coffee cup into the trash. She hopped off the table returned the spell book back to its rightful shelf as her friends entered the shop.  
  
"How did it go?" she asked quietly. Their long faces made her frightened. Something was terribly wrong.  
  
"What did Giles say?" Tara asked, quickly changing the subject. They were dirty, their stakes were splintered and their shoes were dripping wet as they kicked them off.  
  
"He's coming, this week. Now tell me what happened." She started again.  
  
"That's wonderful," Tara commented. Willow looked over at Dawn, then at Tara. "Dawny, lets sit down." Tara tried to calm her. She walked over to the table and pulled out a chair. Dawn inched towards them but wouldn't sit. The girl crossed her arms defiantly, waiting.  
  
Xander sighed, "We found more vamps Spike sired." He explained. "One of them mentioned a big bad called The First,"  
  
"It may be the Beneath You evil we've been chasing." Willow explained.  
  
"So they are connected." Dawn concluded. Everyone was silent, looking down, stealing little glances at each other. "Look, you're going to have to tell me sooner or later. I'm not going to wither up and die, despite what you might think." She tried to explain. "So?"  
  
Tara looked up at the girl, "We don't know much, we think Spike was down in the tunnel with us. He stopped one of his childe from talking to us. But it's pretty clear that Spike has Buffy. And, she's not ok." They watched Dawn reel with that information. She bent over, like she might be sick, just enough to be visible; then she straightened up.  
  
"We had to expect," Dawn said quietly, her voice low. She would be strong, if it took every thing with in her. If it killed her. "Look, if Spike and his childe were in the same place down there, then Buffy can't be far away from that spot either." Dawn concluded. The others were surprised with her; that was a sharp deduction.  
  
"It's dark now." Will said, "It'll be harder to look for them without running into more vamps." Xander frowned. "As much as I hate this, we need to rest and eat."  
  
"I'm starved," Anya said quietly. Will shot her a baffled and slightly disgusted look, but that was just Anya.  
  
"You know where you were down there? So we can go back?" Dawn questioned. She watched as Tara nodded her head yes. "Good, tomorrow then."  
  
"Dawn," Tara said tentatively.  
  
"No, I won't sit this one out. Buffy's in trouble, my only family, and I'll be damned if she dies and I didn't even try to save her."  
  
------  
  
He carried the girl up the steps and pushed the door open. 634 Hoffman Terrace, their temporary home. She moaned weakly as they walked through the frigid living room, into the hall. He pulled open the basement door and stepped out onto the platform. The room was dark and warmer than the rest of the house, the last soft glow of twilight filtering through the one covered window just above him.  
  
He carefully walked down the steps and to the other end of the basement. His vampire vision adjusted just fine to the dark. Soon it was almost as if someone had turned a light on. The blond set the girl down on a table. She slumped against the surface. He tilted his head and reached out, brushing a bit of hair out of her face.  
  
Then it came. The thing he'd waited for. She moved.  
  
He turned to watch, the same blank expression painted on his face. His mouth not in any way twisted into the smallest smile. His eyes were dead, dark and cold like the rest of him. He took a few steps towards the other table where she rested. She was in the same position he'd laid her in a day ago.  
  
She gasped, her eyes shot open. He could see her convulse, her back arched and her hands twisted. He stood next to the table, viewing her awakening with morbid fascination. She relaxed, and searched the room, her eyes wide drinking any light they could find to let her see. She began to panic. The blond sat up, pushing the blanket he'd laid on her away.  
  
"Buffy," he called softly. Her head turned in his direction. As her eyes rested on him, all her fear drained away. She was alive again.  
  
"Spike," she spoke with such love, he felt his chest tighten. He saw her eyes gloss over and she threw her arms around him.  
  
"That's my girl," the First smiled slyly. "He needs you, make him believe. I'll be back soon, baby." It said, then vanished from her eyes from the spot it was standing behind Spike. She pulled back her arms still draped over his shoulders.  
  
She was so cold. Her touch, was, dead. She glared deeply into his eyes and he had the impulse to pull away. An evil swam around her, glowed in her eyes, something so dark. He couldn't bare knowing he'd put it there.  
  
She smiled, "That soul of yours is beautiful." His eyes flickered with emotion.  
  
"I killed you," he said, the reality of his crime finally fell on him full weight. Buffy smiled warmly and leaned into his ear.  
  
"Thank you," she replied softly. "You've given me so much over the years. Made me feel like no body else could. But this? I'll never be able to repay you." Her voice was honest. Spike felt her hair against his face. He'll never see it shimmer in the sunlight again. And as he though about it more, moisture rose to his eyes. He listened as she smelled the air.  
  
"She's yours," he said quietly, letting his head turn away from her as tears rolled down his face. She smiled wickedly, glancing at his broken from once, then used his shoulder to steady herself as she stood off of the table. A strength continued to build in her bones, something that made her heart dance. It was something more than she'd ever felt as Slayer, and oh so much more wicked.  
  
The girl was on a table near hers. She was petite like Buffy, but with raven black hair, she thought anyway. It was hard to see in the dark.  
  
"How do you see down here?" she asked suddenly, child like curiosity dripping from her voice. Spike turned and slowly walked over to his childe.  
  
"Focus on something, relax your eyes." She did as he spoke, her eyes fixed on the girls dark hair. And the world around her fell into place. It was beautiful, all earth's wonders shrouded in a dark rainbow the likes of which she'd never experienced.  
  
"It's exquisite," she said breathless. "Like seeing the world through the eyes of death," she whispered. Spike had thought the same thing once or twice before, but never shared it with anyone. Drusilla would have just giggled and danced as if he were singing, she always did, and he loved her for it. Angel and Darla might have laughed at him, for a long time, and chalked it up to his old poet soul.  
  
"Do you know how?" he asked. Buffy just studied the girl, as if she'd never seen anything like it.  
  
"I've seen vamps feed. . . seen you do it more than once, Angelus too," she smiled at the thought. "We have to go see them." She said turning from the freshly dead girl to face him.  
  
"And what would you do once we got to LA." He asked. Buffy's eyes flickered with possibilities.  
  
"It's a surprise." She said gleefully. Spike shook his head.  
  
She was so full of life, it was so unusual and. . . enjoyable, almost rewarding.  
  
No. This is wrong. He tried to reason, but the battle was futile. He'd created this creature, and knowing that he could never kill her, he could do nothing else than take care of her. And he couldn't have imagined anything more satisfying than having her company at his side for all eternity.  
  
Buffy watched as Spike reached out with a pocket knife and neared the lifeless girl's face. The cold metal pressed against her skin and split it open. He drew the knife along her cheek bone only a few inches.  
  
The smell of blood struck her so forcefully. Spike smelled it too, but years of the hunt, he was able to control himself effortlessly. Buffy on the other hand, was so young. He studied her. The blonde's eyes widened ever so slightly as a growl erupted from her chest. Spike's demon stirred as she changed for the first time. Golden eyes emerging and her forehead morphed with vampire ridges.  
  
Buffy smiled, her sharp fangs flashing in the dark. She was a thing of dark beauty and Spike couldn't help tilt his head in delight. She moved past him and lifted the limp body up, sliding behind her on the table. Buffy moved from the girl's neck on the far side, to the right where the girl's blood dripped down her face and stained her shirt.  
  
Smelling her skin deeply Buffy breathed, "She's so warm," Then she opened her eyes and glanced up at Spike, seductive, asking for permission.  
  
"Drink," Spike said. The remorse he felt shone through. If he truly thought about everything he'd so recently done, there would be nothing left of him but an empty shell with a dieing, trapped soul inside. And he had to stay alive, strong for her.  
  
He loved her, after all.  
  
She bit down with a savage tenderness Spike hadn't seen in at least a hundred years. Spike loved this woman with such a deep ferocity, he ached. She never stopped surprising him. And now, even his soul knew that he'd never be alone again.  
  
And he liked that feeling.  
  
------ 


	5. Seventh

Title: Grave Flower  
  
Author: Bianca Masiello  
  
Disclaimer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Whedon, FX, UPN, Mutant Enemy, blah blah. we know the drill.  
  
Walking slow along the path She dare not turn or look back The child like moon's eerie glow The light a place she dare not go May all the dark things hide and cower As she walks the path with her grave flower -Bianca Masiello  
  
Synopsis: Set at the end of Sleeper, what if Spike had gone through with the First's plans? Touch of AU: Tara's alive, and Xand and Anya got hitched. Spuffy but tasteful in a dark way.  
  
------  
  
Seventh  
  
The night came and went soundlessly with little other than Xander's light snoring. Anya just kicked him and he turned over. Breakfast was good with the sweets and coffee Xander brought in filled their stomachs while they waited for Tara, Will, and Dawn.  
  
"How many days of school will they let her miss?" Anya asked recording notes of inventory that Xander called out to her in a book.  
  
He moved to the next book case and looked for the title she'd given him. "When we were in high school, god, I don't think you actually had to show up half the year." Xander traced the spines of the books then stopped. "You've got two of The Red Key, editions." He called back. She scribbled more into the log.  
  
"She'll never pass that algebra class at this rate." Anya commented. "Black Valentine," she recited. Xander began to search again.  
  
"Maybe you could tutor her." He suggested.  
  
"Xander, I flunked. I don't think I was even there half the time." She sighed. Xander smiled and knelt to search the lower shelves. "It was your fault too. If I haddn't mentioned that I'd witnessed an Ascension, you wouldn't have dragged me into Buffy's dark fairy tale, and I might have been able to turn my extra credit in on time."  
  
"Aun, think. If you hadn't helped us, we might have lost, then you'd probably'd been Mayor food graduation day." He stopped. "There is no book called Black Valentine on these shelves." Xander stood up.  
  
"It's difficult to balance life and slaying. We have work to do to survive in the human world, and we have to fight for our lives and the world's safety in the demon one. And, we have to do it all never getting any credit for it. It's not like saving the world will make you rich and famous. It's just not fair." Anya complained.  
  
"You have just described Buffy's entire life, except times that by six." He walked over to the counter. He could see that Anya was contemplating his words. Her eyes starred off into space, thinking about what she'd just said.  
  
She finally looked at him and spoke, "Why six,"  
  
Xander sighed and leaned on the counter top, "Dawn, Tara, Willow, Giles, You, and me,"  
  
"Oh," she whispered. She saw him leaning forward and met him half way. They locked lips tenderly.  
  
"Ah-mm," Dawn coughed. They turned to see the three girls enter the shop. Anya still retained that dreamy look in her eyes.  
  
"Good morning ladies," Xander greeted.  
  
"Morning, yes." Willow set her bag down. "Good, not so much." She frowned. "But we worked on some spells last night, I think they'll help." She finished. Willow noticed the weary look in Xander's eyes.  
  
She couldn't help wonder if she would ever work hard enough and be forgiven. Everyone applauded her for her self control and strength when Tara told her she was developing a problem. Then it became: Continue using magick this way, and lose Tara. So she stopped, for a long time, till just recently, Willow felt like she could handle some small spells. And with Tara's help and love, she had, successfully.  
  
"She can handle these," Tara confirmed. "I know she can," the witch smiled at her girlfriend. Willow felt Tara's pride and confidence fill her with warmth.  
  
"The sun will be up in a half an hour." Dawn cut in. "The sewers'll be safer then." The young girl believed.  
  
"Sure hope so." Anya spoke up. "I don't want to have to take on an army like that again for a long while."  
  
"It's too soon for Spike to have built up a group like that. We should have fewer problems with that for at least another day. That's if he's turning more people at all." Dawn spoke assuringly.  
  
"Sprout's right. We really don't know Spike's plan." Xander frowned.  
  
Pause, then, "Giles would know what to do," Anya frowned along with her mate.  
  
"Actually," they all turned at once to see the Watcher in the door way, "I can't do much for you now."  
  
"Giles!" Dawn sounded so relieved as she darted from the table and into the upper part of the shop. Giles released an 'oof' sound as she slammed into him with a bear hug. The fact that he was soaking wet didn't bother her a bit.  
  
"Welcome home," Willow smiled happily. The Scoobies moved into the front shop to greet him.  
  
Giles was frowning, as happy as he was to see them, he couldn't hide his sorrow from her. "Giles, what's going on." Anya spoke, her voice wavering. He set his jaw and lowered his head.  
  
"Everyone," he stepped aside a little to reveal a young girl about Dawn's age. Her russet hair was saturated and wavy, her eyes dark and uneasy, staring back at them.  
  
"Please meet Lindsey," his breath caught in his throat just under his heart. "The Slayer."  
  
------  
  
"Hurry up, love," he called into her. Spike stood just outside her bedroom door. They'd waited patiently outside the house for the girls to leave, then slipped inside. Dawn was drawing near and Spike started to get antsy. He didn't want to be trapped at the house.  
  
She appeared in the doorway, "Can you feel that?" she asked. Buffy took a deep breath. Her black bra still visible through the thin white cotton of the shirt she pulled on over her head. Spike glanced over her, smiling at the pair of broken in jeans she'd thrown on. There was a hole in the leg at both knees and he noticed the hole just below her right cheek as she turned back into her room.  
  
"Always know where the sun is in the sky," he replied. "That is when it's not raining like a bloody monsoon." Spike glanced into the room. Buffy had a black leather bag open on her bed and was filling it with things. "Buffy," he started.  
  
"I know what you're going to say, but I'm not leaving without some of my things." She replied quickly.  
  
"I'll get you new things." He said to her. But the blond wasn't listening. He watched as she moved over to her vanity and took a beautiful silver cross off one of the posts; she wasn't careful and touched the cross.  
  
"Ow!" she cried as the cross fell to the carpet. She held her hand to her chest and cursed.  
  
"Should have reminded you," he said moving up behind her.  
  
She shook her head and turned to him, "No, I should have known better." She almost laughed. Spike took her injured hand and lifted her finger tips to his lips and slipped them inside his mouth. His cool tongue was instant aid to her burning skin. Buffy felt a humming start deep inside her. Her first instinct was to kill it, but it felt so right because it was so wrong.  
  
Buffy stepped up closer to Spike, letting her stomach just brush against his. She could see the wanting hunger in his eyes too, so she couldn't explain it when he pulled away, letting her hand drop to her side. Dejected, Buffy pouted internally. She turned and pulled the drawer open violently and retrieved the ring she'd been looking for. She slipped it on and hurried towards the door, leaving everything just the way it was. The black bag abandoned on the bed.  
  
"Lets go." She said bitterly, but she was stopped as Spike grabbed her arm as she passed him. He was strong. Stronger than her yet.  
  
"You may forget, love, but I have a soul. So forgive me if I don't always play nice." He said in a low, calming voice. She was startled, but understood his words. Spike let go of her arm and she lowered her head.  
  
"Sorry," she whispered. Spike motioned for the door. The girl walked slowly out, her sire right behind her. The blond vamp flipped off the light and glanced back once more into the room before following after her.  
  
------  
  
Giles had cried almost the whole way there. The plane ride had been excruciating. He didn't cry in sobs, no, she imagined he cried those at the house before coming to get her. It was more of single hot tears falling, escaping when he couldn't hold back his pain any longer.  
  
The others were different. First came the confusion.  
  
"But Buffy's the Slayer," the blond girl put a silly emphasis on the word Slayer. "This girl is, something else, the Slayer of bunnies? Or something? Right?" Her voice rose slowly as she spoke. Her eyes searched Giles for answers of comfort, but found none. "Xander," She said panicked, not sure what else to do. A strong looking young man enveloped her as she began to cry.  
  
Next came the denial.  
  
"There has to be some kind of mistake," The red head spoke. She shook her head, her brown eyes wide. A beautiful young woman with shoulder length sandy blond hair covered her mouth. She had a natural grace that was absolutely spellbinding. Tears fell noiselessly from her green eyes. The red head turned to the graceful woman and shook her head again. The woman opened her arms as the red head collapsed against her. "No!" she began to sob. The sorrow in her voice was like a massive weight pressing on the girl's heart. The red head and the blond lapsed to the floor and rocked each other in grief.  
  
Lastly, there was anger.  
  
It was the young man and the brown haired girl. Their expressions twisted as if the same understanding befell both of them at the same time. The man's eyes glossed, but he never grieved. The girl simply shook, small tremors of pain, but she never moved, never cried, just starred. She looked over at the young man as if she knew he felt the same way as she.  
  
"It was Spike, wasn't it," she breathed. It was more of a fierce, deep, threat. But the man turned to her, blinked allowing a few tears descend freely downward, then took a deep breath to control himself. The girl turned back to Giles. "What did the Council tell you." She asked, in the same rageful tone of voice.  
  
"Only that the Slayer had fallen, and another had been called." He said deadpan. "Seers in a coven there contacted the Council and warned of a great evil rising to power, here in fact." It was evident he'd practiced this, practiced it to the point so he wouldn't cry. "The evil is old and more powerful than I fear we can conceive right now. I was given some texts and artifacts that will aid,"  
  
"Damn you, Giles. Look at you!" she started, her voice was high in her throat, angry and sad. "Buffy's dead. And you just keep on truckin' like it's not real. We don't get that luxury, and neither should you! You were her watcher, her father for Christ's sake. And this," she started again, but couldn't force her self to go on. Xander was there to catch her again when she fell.  
  
Giles was weeping now. The flood gates were open and he cried. The young girl watched in horror as he sank to the ground there in front of the door and sobbed into his own hands. She was shaken by the mourning. The air thickened with lament, their cries blending together in to a aching dirge. And painfully she realized, she didn't know what to do. What was her place? Should she comfort these strangers? Surely Giles would want a hand to hold.  
  
But she knew in her deepest heart that she was the idol that reminded them, would always remind them of their pain, of what they lost. She was a replacement, one of hundreds. She hadn't even fully come to terms with the fact that her life would be short, and the Council she devoted her life to would not morn her.  
  
Yet here she stood, in the wake of another Slayer, watching someone morn for her. It contradicted everything she imaged about her own death. She imagined it to be lonely, brutal, and quickly forgotten as the newest Slayer stepped up to serve. Still they cried. And she was shocked when she felt warm, moist drops of salt water all her own falling down her face. And she cried with them.  
  
------ 


	6. Slayer's Hunt

Title: Grave Flower  
  
Author: Bianca Masiello  
  
Disclaimer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Whedon, FX, UPN, Mutant Enemy, blah blah. we know the drill.  
  
Walking slow along the path She dare not turn or look back The child like moon's eerie glow The light a place she dare not go May all the dark things hide and cower As she walks the path with her grave flower -Bianca Masiello  
  
Synopsis: Set at the end of Sleeper, what if Spike had gone through with the First's plans? Touch of AU: Tara's alive, and Xand and Anya got hitched. Spuffy but tasteful in a dark way.  
  
------  
  
Slayer's Hunt  
  
He flexed his fingers and closed them around her hand again. She didn't smile, just listened to the world around her. He knew she'd been in the sewers before; hell, he'd been down here with her. She'd never been this alert. Listening, watching. She was learning so much.  
  
"Penny for your thoughts, love." Spike said calmly.  
  
She glanced at him, "The Initiative caves are around here, somewhere."  
  
"What would you want to go there for." He asked, memories flooding his head. Unpleasant bright lights and doctors. Being caged.  
  
"I dono, to remember. It's like, seeing everything, but from the wrong side. Backwards? Maybe," she paused. "Plus I know lots of homeless kids that stay there,"  
  
"Pet," he started. He didn't quite understand what she was saying. She squeezed his hand.  
  
"I'm hungry," a wire grin crossed her face. Spike took an unnecessary breath, content, but internally irked. She would hunt, people. Buffy, the Slayer, would hunt down helpless kids and kill them, drink them. Was he ready to watch her do that, knowing how wrong it really was. But he wasn't sure if he could ask her to drink pig's blood from the butcher's shop. He even hated it.  
  
His silence was crawling under her skin. She wished she could read his mind, understand what he was thinking. Or he could just say what he's thinking. The soul. She really didn't have to ask. She knew what that soul had done to him. She was so thankful for it when she was alive; it allowed them to be together. But now? She hated what it did to him. Changed him. What a pair they could make if Spike could just feed, kill, return to his old ways.  
  
But he couldn't. Not as long as he had his soul. And that damn chip. One of which, she realized, she could take care of.  
  
She glanced up ahead to see a rat crawling along the dry ledge. Buffy glanced at Spike once; he was lost in his own thoughts. So she slipped her hand out of his. This jarred him from whatever world he was in. Spike watched in absolute awe.  
  
Buffy's face changed, her gold eyes easily adjusted better to the dark lighting of the tunnels. She walked up to the wall and inched closer to. he finally saw the rat. She wouldn't, would she? For him, to be his. A part of him twisted with enchantment and love.  
  
She'd caught the creature with little effort, sat down on the ledge, and held it up to her mouth.  
  
"No." he said sternly. Buffy paused. She lowered the rat and looked at him. Spike was standing right in front of her. Bewilderment in her demon eyes, her mouth ajar, with her two fangs just visible under her upper lip as she looked up at him.  
  
"Spike," she started to protest, trying to explain. He understood. The bleached vamp reached down and took the rat from her. He gently set it down on the ledge beside her and watched it scamper, terrified, away. She had made her point.  
  
He knelt down on the dry tunnel floor and placed his hands on her knees. "Buffy, I love you, more than I can say." He started, "You don't have to prove anything to me." He said in his soft British accent. She placed her hands on top of his. Spike looked up at her. There was understanding in her hazel eyes.  
  
"I know. And I hate that you can't feed, wont kill. I'm not going to lie." She said. Spike looked off to the left, partly embarrassed, mostly angry. Buffy placed a hand on the side of his face and turned him to face her. "But that doesn't mean that I can't love you,"  
  
He wanted to believe. It was so easy to accept a lie than face the truth. If she really meant that, if she could ever love him, she'd have to accept that he wasn't like her. The rat had proved that she was willing to play along, but how long would it last? How long till she needed the kill, and he couldn't come with her?  
  
He closed his eyelids and gritted his teeth slightly. "Where," he opened his blue eyes, "Are the Initiative tunnels?"  
  
She smiled brightly with delight.  
  
Because Spike knew to keep her, he'd have to accept the fact that she wasn't like him. And he was willing to watch.  
  
------  
  
The black punching bag swung wildly back and forth. She stopped it at the right with a jab and turned around just to get it going again with an angry powerhouse round kick. She started in again with a series of punches and hooks.  
  
Giles had sent her to the training room a little over an hour ago. Maybe to get her out of the way. Her mind wandered back to the thought she had, about be their constant reminder.  
  
"Buffy use to do the same thing when she was angry." Dawn said. Lindsey turned to see her standing in the training room, near the knives wall. Lindsey stayed quiet. At the sight of the girl, Lindsey felt her troubles returning, but turned it against the bag once more.  
  
"Have you contacted the Council with a course of action?" She asked. Dawn was a little taken aback by the question.  
  
"Lindsey, um, we do things a little differently here." Dawn started, her voice was still monotone. The aftermath of pain. "I know that the Council scares the potentials into obedience or whatever, but they don't own you." She stopped punching, it was her turn to be surprised.  
  
"I'd heard that the Slayer was something of a livewire." Lindsey confirmed. Since that was the first thing Lindsey had said that didn't involve the Council or had more than three words, Dawn noticed her light English accent for the first time.  
  
Dawn frowned, "Yea, a couple years back, she even quit them all together. It was really amazing." She said proudly. She liked thinking fondly of her sister.  
  
"Quit? That's daring. And they let her?" Lindsey's voice showed that she was curious.  
  
"Buffy didn't give them much of a choice." Dawn half smiled. Lindsey walked towards Dawn, unwrapping her hands.  
  
"Is it true she was in love with a vampire?" Lindsey asked so softly Dawn barely heard her. Lindsey wasn't sure where her place was yet, so she didn't know if it was her authority to ask such questions.  
  
"Angel, yeah." Dawn smiled remembering. Then it hit her. "Oh god, Angel."  
  
She looked up, "What?" Lindsey questioned.  
  
"He doesn't know." She whispered. Lindsey frowned too.  
  
They both exited the training room together. The group had picked them selves up and were all sitting around the table. Lindsey glanced at all of their faces before stopping next to Dawn beside Giles.  
  
"Anything?" Dawn asked in a whisper. Anya looked up, then shook her head no.  
  
Giles shifted in his seat, "We should search the area above the sewers where you encountered Spike's childe," They agreed.  
  
"Someone should call Angel," Dawn said. Willow and Xander looked up at this.  
  
"Oh man, he's not going to take this well." Xander frowned. "And Angel mad? Not so pretty,"  
  
Giles spoke up, "Maybe we shouldn't inform him of Spike's invol."  
  
"He's going to ask how she died. Are you going to lie to him?" Willow asked, her voice was deep.  
  
"Well, no. I suppose not." Giles grimaced.  
  
"I'll do anything I can to help," Lindsey said full heartedly. "I'll kill Spike, I swear to you."  
  
They all looked at the brave young girl. She was no more than Buffy's age when she realized she was the Chosen One. Fifteen maybe. Xander half expected Dawn to resent the girl, for taking Buffy's place. But no one could take Buffy's place here. Lindsey was something else, and no one hated her for it.  
  
"Hoffman Terrace it is, then?" Tara spoke up.  
  
------  
  
They walked in the shadows of the complex. Her face was drenched in dark silhouettes of stair cases and walls. He was beside her, glancing around, weary of the place, but knowing that it was over. The Initiative stood a hollow building of what it once was.  
  
She took his hand and stopped him from walking further. "Wait over there, ok?" she asked. Spike turned to her with disappointment on his face.  
  
"I thought," he started, whispering. Buffy sighed, she glanced away then back at him.  
  
"I know that you don't even like the thought of me killing, and as much as I'd love to share my first with you, I can't. Not with you watching, now that you have a soul." She said.  
  
Something unexpected happened. Spike grabbed both her shoulders and slammed her against the wall behind them. He growled deep and angry. She was shocked, but it quickly turned to amusement.  
  
His eyes were glowing as he starred into her. "Even things with souls can kill," he pinned her tight. She let her head rest against the wall for a brief moment.  
  
She was fast, faster than he'd expected. She grabbed his wrists and spun him, his body slamming against the same wall not a foot away. She had him restrained. Her strength was growing.  
  
"Not if they're you, sweetie," she laughed. Buffy stood on her tip toes and kissed his fore head. The chip. She let got of his wrists and backed away slowly. Spike relaxed against the wall. Buffy turned and walked away down the hall. "I'll be right back," she called to him.  
  
As soon as she was out of sight, Buffy took off running. She spotted what she'd been looking for. The phone was resting on a wall beside one of the glass cages.  
  
"Show time," she smiled.  
  
------ 


	7. Angel's Tears

Title: Grave Flower  
  
Author: Bianca Masiello  
  
Disclaimer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Whedon, FX, UPN, Mutant Enemy, blah blah. we know the drill.  
  
Beauty of the night alone A simple kiss and now I've flown Light's glowing, burning life Never sharing, never kind Slowly now the light will fade Don't leave flowers at my grave - Bianca Masiello  
  
Synopsis: Set at the end of Sleeper, what if Spike had gone through with the First's plans? Touch of AU: Tara's alive, and Xand and Anya got hitched. Spuffy but tasteful in a dark way.  
  
------  
  
Angel's Tears  
  
She watched as they held him down. He kicked and screamed her name. She only smiled at his agony.  
  
"How could you!" he screamed fitfully, disbelief rhyming through his tone. The blond simply sparkled her eyes and tilted her head up.  
  
"Miss Summers?" The Lieutenant asked. She turned to face the man.  
  
"Mm," she greeted. Spike watched as she went from sinful pleasure to suddenly looking dazed and helpless. The change happened so fast, Spike was caught in her whirl wind of lies.  
  
"Say again what the vampire's been experiencing." He asked. "It's for the militaries studies. Don't quite understand it myself, but they'd like the facts for their studies." He explained unnecessarily.  
  
"The chip," her voice wavered slightly, "Began malfunctioning a few days ago. Firing randomly," she brushed her cheek with the back of her hand dramatically, but not over the top. "He says things, acts, out of his mind," she trailed off.  
  
The Lieutenant nodded, then whispered, "And may I ask ma'ma, why you want to have his chip removed? He is just a vampire, a monster by most standards. Now, Agent Finn said the situation was unusually complicated, but aren't you afraid he might start killing again."  
  
Malice flickered bright green in her eyes for only a split second, "Things are complicated," she said simply, her voice low, but still sounding feminine and pained. Just as she intended. The Lieutenant shook his head, not quite understanding, but he was just following orders. The question had been out of his own curiosity.  
  
A doctor appeared in the door way. Everyone there turned to him as the doctor nodded to the Lieutenant.  
  
The strong looking, black Lieutenant turned to his men restraining Spike, "Send him in." He ordered. Buffy turned to see Spike had finally stopped struggling. He'd seen the doctor, and Buffy could sense that he understood what she was doing.  
  
She detected a faint smile on his face. Buffy tilted her head and placed a hand on the left side of her face then mouthed only to Spike, "Gottcha," He laughed slightly, jerked once more against the military personnel, not really trying to escape. Though, Buffy could only imagine what delightful games he would have played with her if they'd released him right then.  
  
There was always time for games later.  
  
------  
  
"My hand hurts." Xander complained. They just continued walking on the side walk. Anya reached over and took Xander's hand, caressing it tenderly.  
  
"There, there," she said quietly.  
  
"We've knocked on every door down this street," Giles said tiredly. "No one has seen a thing."  
  
"Well if Anya haddn't opened conversation a couple times with, 'We think a vampire is holding our friend hostage under your house, please let us in,' things might have gone better," Willow commented.  
  
"Hey! It wasn't like your sympathetic angle was working. 'Oh, sorry to bother you at such a late hour, but we've been traveling and need nourishments'." Anya mocked bitterly.  
  
"I did not say that." Willow protested.  
  
"Both are lies anyway." Lindsey spoke up; her voice was most sullen out of all of them. She wasn't as good at pushing the ugly, hard, real truths out of her mind like the Scoobies had. Because there was work to be done. They didn't even have her body to bury, though no one mentioned that.  
  
Willow was looking up ahead, eyeing a door at the end of the street. The apartment was shadowy and seemed darkly cut off from the rest of the avenue.  
  
Willow pointed to the house. "Should we try that one?" she asked.  
  
"Looks spooky." Anya said. "Though that's probably the kind of house Spike would go for, so, get with the knocking Xander." Anya added. She gave him a firm pat on the back then receded to the rest of the group, leaving Xander standing somewhat on his own.  
  
"Hey hey, somebody's coming with me." Xander protested, turning quickly to face the group.  
  
Lindsey, with more determination than anger, stormed past them all. They watched in watered amazement as she walked right up the steps to the door. Beat. Then she knocked. No answer. Lindsey placed her flat hand against the door.  
  
"It's freezing," she noted. Willow caught Lindsey reaching slowly for the doorknob first.  
  
"Hey, maybe we sho." but she didn't get the chance to finish. Lindsey turned the knob and pushed the door in. A gush of frigid air burst through the door frame. Lindsey immediately shivered.  
  
"Holy mother of God." Lindsey sighed as she crossed her arms over her chest instinctively. The raven haired girl shivered once more then turned back to the Scoobies. "So," she paused, "Are you coming, or do I have to hunt Spike down alone?"  
  
Not surprisingly, the lights didn't work. The group inched through the house, weary not to bump into too many things. Though a few table corners were collided into and a few anonymous yelps were sounded in the dark.  
  
"Flashlights?" They were reminded.  
  
"Oh yeah!" Xander's unmistakable voice of remembrance sounded as he pulled out his flashlight. With a twist, light shone from the think stick around the room.  
  
"Look for a basement door." Anya suggested.  
  
"How am I supposed to know if it's a basement door?" Lindsey put an emphasis on basement.  
  
"I dono, sometimes they're in hall ways." Anya glanced around. Giles was still searching his pockets for his flashlight.  
  
"Wait, wait. I think." Lindsey had found hers and switched it on. A door appeared in front of them. "There!" She exclaimed. The door quickly opened, though no light was shed into the room. Lindsey stepped into the basement, onto a platform with stairs. She pointed her flashlight down into the room. Lindsey tensed up, and the others noticed.  
  
"What's going on?" Giles asked from behind her. Lindsey started to shudder; she dropped her light and turned to them. She pushed her way through them and out of house quickly. Willow blinked. They were in no immediate danger, so she turned and dashed out after Lindsey.  
  
Willow stepped out of the house into the twilight air. She glanced over to the right. Lindsey was throwing up in a bed of flowers.  
  
"God," Anya said from in the house. They'd all heard Lindsey getting sick. It was unnerving. Giles was the first to turn back to the basement. He stepped inside and bent to pick up Lindsey's light, as he couldn't find his own. The old Watcher stood and shone the flashlight over the room. He suddenly felt sick too.  
  
In large bloody letters across the far wall was written: Don't leave flowers at my grave.  
  
A young woman was propped up on a table facing them. Her eyes were wide and dead, her head slightly tilted to the right as if she were intrigued. She sat so perfectly still under the letters, holding a bouquet of black roses.  
  
------  
  
After the zillionth ring, Dawn set the portable down. She rested her head on the open book in front of her.  
  
"It's hopeless, Angel's not there. I don't think he's even in LA. On the face of the earth." she moaned. Tara walked over and set Dawn's cup of tea down. She pulled out the chair next to her and rested.  
  
"We'll contact him soon," She reassured her. Dawn rested her head a moment longer before looking up.  
  
"It's possible that Buffy's still alive," The brunette said. Tara blinked and a line appeared between her eye brows.  
  
"Oh Dawny," she started.  
  
The girl waved at the witch to silence her, "No, listen. Faith's still out there, in jail, right?" she started. Tara still frowned but listened wearily. "What if she died? That would get another Slayer called, right?" Dawn asked hopefully.  
  
Tara wasn't sure what to say. It was a real possibility, and she was suddenly upset she hadn't thought of it before. But it was so unlikely; she didn't want to get Dawn's fragile hopes up just to have them shattered when they found Buffy's body.  
  
"Dawn, Buffy went looking for Spike two days ago," Tara reminded her. "Spike's dangerous again, and he can hurt your sister. We haven't seen or heard from either of them since." Dawn knew the facts. It was the hope she wanted so badly. The witch saw frustration rise in Dawn's eyes.  
  
"I know." She said quietly.  
  
Tara sighed, "But we can call the jail in L.A. and check, if you want."  
  
Dawn's eyes lit up again, then realized, "We don't have the number here. Angel has it, though,"  
  
"Then try him again," Tara said. Dawn set her jaw, took a breath, then nodded, picking up the phone. The girl had grit.  
  
The phone rang a zillion more times. Then finally.  
  
"Angel investigations." Fred greeted. Dawn loudly sighed with relief.  
  
"It's Dawn," she started.  
  
"Oh! Dawn! Hello! It's been so long," Fred started in excitedly.  
  
Dawn glanced at Tara and whispered away from the phone's mouth piece, "Should I ask for Angel?" Tara thought for a moment, then shook her head yes.  
  
"He'll want to know what's going on, and we have to t-tell him sooner or later." She stuttered slightly. Dawn nodded.  
  
"Hello?" Fred called, now sounding worried.  
  
"I wish I could do the small talk thing, Fred, but, is Angel there?" Dawn asked tentatively.  
  
"One moment," she said cheerily. Dawn looked at Tara, who was waiting patiently, and they both frowned. The littlest Scoobie knew how hard this was going to be. It would have been a lot harder without the little Faith hope. Faith hope, Dawn thought funnily with an inside smile.  
  
"Hello?" Angel spoke. It was so odd, but so good to hear his voice again.  
  
"Hey Angel," Dawn started. She opened her mouth to speak, but the words just flew away before she could form them.  
  
"What's going on?" He asked, not really afraid of something bad, just asking.  
  
"I have some things that you need to know, but I don't want to say anything until I call the Women's Correction Center. Do you ha."  
  
"Why isn't Buffy calling?" he asked. Dawn was frozen. She didn't have an answer.  
  
"S'apart of the news," Dawn's voice was deadpan. Angel was quiet for a while, and it gave Dawn the wiggins.  
  
"923-3321, I'm coming down there." He said quickly. Dawn could hear him get up in a hurried rush around the hotel.  
  
Dawn began to protest, "But I haven't even said,"  
  
"You don't have to Dawny." Angel said so softly, Dawn felt the tears well up in her throat again. "Where's Spike, as much as I hate this," he muttered, "He'll be a big help hunting this thing down." Angel supposed quickly, in a hurry again.  
  
"Spike's missing," Dawn said quietly. She could hear Angel stop again. She could image the next words out of his mouth, 'Missing?' or maybe.  
  
"Spike doesn't have her," Angel inhaled sharply, "Does he," he daren't form a question out of his thoughts. It's easier on your heart when you speak them as truths.  
  
Dawn and Tara both looked up as the rest of them entered the magic box. A good half of them were sickly looking, crushed. Giles was moving so slow, the girls though that he might just sit there on the floor and die.  
  
"Dawn," he looked at her, "Is that Angel," Giles asked weakly. Dawn shook her head feebly. Giles staggered over to her and she handed him the phone. The old Watcher turned and started for the dark training room.  
  
Tara looked up to see Willow and Lindsey leaning on a wall. Xander and Anya had taken a seat on the step down that separated the two halves of the shop. They were afraid to speak. Tara slowly rose to her feet and Willow looked up. Her eyes swelled with tears.  
  
Xander took Anya in his arms and rocked her slowly. The young woman just kept looking dead ahead, hushed tears falling from her eyes, mixing with her already sodden face.  
  
Tara took a few steps closer to her friend and Willow looked down again, unable to do much more.  
  
"It was bad," she choked. Will's voice was so small; Tara nearly missed what she said.  
  
In the other room, Giles finally lifted the phone to his ears.  
  
"Damn it. Hello?" Angel called again.  
  
"Angel," Giles greeted. Angel was staggered by his tone. He'd never heard the old Watcher so, lost.  
  
"Giles, what's happening," he asked.  
  
Giles took a shallow breath, "Don't leave flowers at my grave," he said. Angel's strength left him. "She wrote it, in blood." He breathed. "What does it mean?" Giles asked with naïve and frail curiosity.  
  
A silence fell over them. Angel understood the words fully, as Buffy knew he would.  
  
"Years ago, when I was in Sunnydale, and I was Angelus, I made a promise to Buffy." Angel frowned his words flowed slowly, carefully. He would not shed tears. "I promised that I would be her sire, that she would never be alone again. I wrote her a poem." He paused to regain his calm. "It said that the people she loved wouldn't be able to leave flowers at her grave because she wouldn't be there."  
  
Giles inhaled slowly. "Thank you," He said.  
  
"Giles, I'm coming to Sunnydale." Angel tried not to sound forceful. Giles simply nodded, knowing that Angel couldn't see him. He lowered the receiver from his ear and turned it off.  
  
------  
  
Cordelia was watching Angel's phone call from just outside his office. He set the phone down on it's holder and hung his head, letting it rest in his hands.  
  
And he cried.  
  
She stepped into his office and he looked up.  
  
"Cordy," he greeted, trying to dry his eyes quickly, feeling caught.  
  
"It's Buffy, isn't it." She said calmly. She was so perceptive sometimes; she could just get this tone to her voice. It reminded Angel that she wasn't just a ditzy high school cheer leader, but a woman. She is a wonderful, caring woman whom he loved.  
  
"I have to go." Angel said getting up. He stumbled a bit over his chair, knocking some papers off his desk. They floated to the floor and he just stepped over them. Angel walked around his desk to his coat rack and pulled down his deep chocolate brown leather jacket.  
  
Cordy walked up behind him slowly, her arms crossed. Angel went to pull on his jacket but stopped.  
  
"She's gone, this time," he said quietly. He sounded like he might say something more, like 'forever'. But he held his tongue. Stupid human heart, always holding on to that last bit of dead hope.  
  
Cordelia knew there was nothing she could do, so she didn't ask. Just waited for Angel to speak, turn around, cry again - as unnerving as that may be. Anything.  
  
"I might not be back for a few days," he said, finally pulling on his coat. "Hold my calls." He said quietly.  
  
"Was that a joke?" she asked, not laughing at all. Angel turned his collar out with a flick, then slowly turned around. His dark eyes just looked her over. Resting somewhere in the carpet.  
  
"The first time was hard enough." He said. "But at least then, I knew she was at peace." Angel replied.  
  
Cordy became confused, "Angel," she questioned, letting her arms fall to her side. The vampire looked up at her. The question in her eyes turned to understanding. The brunette placed a hand over her mouth quickly to keep from screaming.  
  
Angel set his jaw and walked up to Cordelia. He took her face in his hands and kissed her forehead gingerly. Cordy's eyes fell closed in pain and pleasure. Angel's hands left her and she knew, he was gone.  
  
------ 


	8. Void

Title: Grave Flower  
  
Author: Bianca Masiello  
  
Disclaimer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Whedon, FX, UPN, Mutant Enemy, blah blah. we know the drill.  
  
Story note: Been away in Boston for a few days, and for the Fourth of July, what a blast that was. So sorry bout the interlude as is bound to happen from time to time. Ok so, I know there's been a lot of talk up till now. Sorry bout the long intro (as it seems). I'm kind of playing this by ear (and by my dreams as most of this crap comes to me while I'm sleeping), but things are about to pick up. . .  
  
Beauty of the night alone A simple kiss and now I've flown Light's glowing, burning life Never sharing, never kind Slowly now the light will fade Don't leave flowers at my grave - Bianca Masiello  
  
Synopsis: Set at the end of Sleeper, what if Spike had gone through with the First's plans? Touch of AU: Tara's alive, and Xand and Anya got hitched. Spuffy but tasteful in a dark way.  
  
------  
  
Void  
  
She just loved the rain. The way it fell in chaos, no pattern, and touched everything. Nothing could escape. Beautiful dark clouds that would cover the cruel morning sun; reminded her of days in England.  
  
It made her skin sing, and she laughed deep in her throat as she stepped along the docks. The ship she'd ridden in on was oddly quiet, and she'd been the only one to step off right away. A few frightened, hired help searched the area fitful with nervousness, ran towards the town lights, stumbling over their own feet.  
  
She was oblivious. Her sights now set on the walk ahead of her. Something there called to her, and she smiled and danced towards the sound of its voice.  
  
------  
  
The First returned to the Hellmouth. He walked into the complex instead of appearing as he was accustom to. It wasn't really walking, as he never really touched the ground. His shoes couldn't even make sound against the cement.  
  
She held him like a mother would hold a child. The vampire was asleep in his childe's lap. The scent of fresh blood filled the air, and the First stepped over the bodies of several military men and a doctor.  
  
"You've been busy." The First greeted Buffy. She didn't even look up. Just continued to rock her Sire and stoke his hair.  
  
"Shh," she whispered, then looked up. Her green eyes flickering, "These walls echo something terrible." The Slayer smiled.  
  
The First almost laughed. "It takes a lot to make me smile, Slayer," he commented, taking a deep drink of her eyes and the dark spirit that lay under the surface. She just looked back down at the cold body in her arms.  
  
"They took his chip," she informed him.  
  
"Then you took their lives, how fitting," The First glanced back at the massacre in the hall way, then back to Buffy. He looked her over for the first time. "They shot you," He spotted the crimson stain on the outer thigh of her jeans.  
  
"You know, I've only been shot once before. I thought maybe because I'm dead it wouldn't hurt as much. . ." she spoke softly. Buffy glanced up to let him know the gun shot had not been a picnic. "I learn more and more every day. . ." she said with a sigh.  
  
"That's alright, baby." The First comforted. "I have something that'll pick you right up," he said. She didn't recognize the form he'd taken to talk to her, though, it was just another dead face. He had a cocky air about him that was suiting and somewhat refreshing. Reminded her of someone she once knew.  
  
"Mummy is coming for a little reunion," he said gleefully. Buffy frowned, she didn't understand. Her mother was dead and her father might as well have been too.  
  
"What the hell are you rambling about," Buffy said snappily. Her patience was on a short leash lately.  
  
"Tea time's rolling around and if Miss Edith pays close attention, she might catch the sound of Angel's wings over the Hellmouth." He said in a sing song voice. She was frozen in place for a long time.  
  
Then she smiled, "Get out!" she exclaimed in disbelief.  
  
"You, my friend, are in for a reunion, but it won't be all fun and games. There's things to do." He glanced down at Spike's limp form in her arms. Then more cruel, and distantly, "So many things,"  
  
------  
  
They had Xander go out for Chinese.  
  
As was the natural order of things.  
  
No one said it out loud, but the take out would be comforting. A taste of normality that had been so absent, so recently.  
  
"Temerocq," Tara read out loud. Willow glanced over at her book.  
  
"Is that was it is?" She asked. Tara glanced at the tiny misshapen, forlorn image of a human carved out of ebony. Its body was unnaturally thin, arms and legs stretched in a cradle like form. Its head hung low and humbly which gave it it's overcome-with-anguish look.  
  
"I'm sure of it." She drew her eyes back down to the book, "Not valued among supernatural world, the Temerocq was forged nearly a century ago by a practicing Carmaintor, created as a magical tool to overwhelm those void with humanity,"  
  
"Carmaintor?" Dawn asked, listening in carefully.  
  
"Someone who deals in magicks, mainly, creates charms. Special objects for a special purpose." Willow explained. Dawn sighed a little oh and looked at the sad figurine.  
  
"How does it work?" The brunette asked. Tara flipped the page and skimmed it.  
  
"Doesn't say," she stated plainly. "How about you, Dawny. How goes the search?" Tara asked. Dawn just slumped further into her chair.  
  
"This, thing, is," Dawn made hand gestures towards the jade box like object she'd been assigned to, then looked down at the pages, "Not here," she finished rather under dramatically. The witches frowned.  
  
"Try looking under a kind of, Pandora's Box," Tara suggested.  
  
"Yeah, maybe it's not meant to trap something, but more exactly, it's already holding something." The red head smiled. She liked figuring things out. Puzzles and codes always gave her a pure sense of satisfaction when completed or cracked. Plus, they filled her mind up, so none of the really bad things she didn't want to think about could get in.  
  
"Ahh," Dawn exclaimed, the pencil she'd placed in her mouth was keeping her from speaking straight. She removed it and smiled, "Jinga," the girl exclaimed. The two women across from her waited patiently for her to explain what it was. Dawn just kept reading to herself.  
  
"Um, Dawny?" Tara started. Dawn kept her eyes on the page as she picked up the emblazoned jade box. She glanced at it and started to place her fingers in particular places. Back at the book, then another glance at the box as she carefully positioned her fingers on all six sides.  
  
"We don't know what it does, wait. . ." Willow tried to cut in, but Dawn had finished the puzzle box before Will could protest.  
  
Full attention turned to the box now, "There," she sighed and twisted. The box snapped into two smooth halves. A tiny clear ball rested in the center of the bisected box.  
  
Almost immediately, the tiny square sachet began to shake. As did the forlorn man. They watched in awe as the shaking grew and finally the man turned to face the box and, simultaneously, the sphere flew out of its jade resting place and into the waiting man shaped cradle.  
  
"Ok." Will said, still digesting what she'd just seen.  
  
"Nifty," Dawn smiled again.  
  
Tara looked up, "Giles," she called. Will glanced at her girl, "Maybe he can help with the how," Tara explained. The redhead nodded.  
  
He walked in to the shop from the training room. All three sets of eyes reflected the same thought to him. What could Angel have said? Giles thought he must look simply awful. However, he felt indescribably worse.  
  
"What is it girls?" he asked quietly. Dawn's expression changed first.  
  
"We cracked your puzzle box," she said.  
  
"Its the Temerocq," Tara repeated to the Watcher.  
  
Giles neared the table and examined the object. "Quite," he said. "I don't believe I've ever heard of it." His voice was drained.  
  
"That's gotta be a first," Xander spoke. He was sitting at the top of the stairs, watching the shop. Anya was beside him, laying down, watching through the railing. The ex-demon had been chillingly inert and quiet ever since their return from the house on Hoffman Terrace.  
  
"Yes," Giles responded mechanically, but annoyed.  
  
Reading from Tara's book, "It instills humanity to those near it." Willow explained.  
  
Giles shook his head as to confirm that he didn't recognize it. They frowned. "Well at least it's pretty." Dawn commented.  
  
The wind pressed leaves and rain against the shop window. The dreary music of the downpour was allowed to fill the store. Morning light was nearly filtered out through the storm altogether. Only a soft, barely there, gray glow draped over the town's streets. There were flood warnings everywhere; the weather stations couldn't explain the sudden and heavy rain washing over California.  
  
They hung their heads and mostly, it was ignored.  
  
He stood outside, looking in through the window. The world inside seemed something parallel to this one, only worse. He'd never seen this group so defeated. Then again, he'd never felt the need to convey this kind of grief before in his life or unlife.  
  
Yet he couldn't force himself to go inside. How do you prepare? He didn't know what he'd say. Maybe he was wrong to come.  
  
But before he realized, he was pushing the door open and stepping into the shop where it was dry. Almost everyone turned.  
  
"The sign says we're closed," Giles started without looking up.  
  
Anya blinked back to awareness and lifted her head, "Angel," she whispered.  
  
------  
  
She put down Giles's journal and glanced over to the lit door way into the shop. The tiny door bell rang introducing someone.  
  
Her spine tingled.  
  
She couldn't see any of their faces, but Giles tried to shoo the visitor, assuming they were a customer, but it was Anya that let her know, Angel was back.  
  
The journals were blood curdling enough. The things he had done! All with out a soul, granted, but it was still the same man, same face. She almost couldn't understand how they could look at him with out hate in their eyes.  
  
But she knew. They could because Buffy loved him. And because he had his soul again.  
  
Curiosity tickled her. She had absorbed their past; she knew only bits and pieces of their adventures with the Slayer. Bits and pieces more than when she had arrived, but words were not pictures.  
  
Lindsey pushed aside the books and slowly, soundlessly neared the door opening.  
  
------  
  
They greeted him without really saying anything. Willow said something friendly and Tara nodded with a sweet smile. Giles stood and removed his glasses. Angel noticed Xander sitting up on the second level next to his wife. They didn't exchange any welcome other than a glance. Anya was so sullen. He'd on no account witnessed her that way. Who knew she'd take it hardest of all?  
  
"Hey Angel," Dawn greeted. He looked over at the brunette adolescent. He slightly smiled back.  
  
His spine tingled.  
  
Angel looked over at Giles. "Who else is here?" He asked sternly. Giles's eyes flickered briefly and he tried to answer. Angel's head turned towards the training room.  
  
"Angel, wait. . ." Dawn tried to stop him but he was already there.  
  
The vampire peered into the dark room. A single lamp sat at the far end with a pile of Watcher's Journals. He glanced around, searching for anything.  
  
"So you're Angel," she said. He turned to his left, a girl stood. She was Dawn's height, and lithe. Long dark hair cascaded over her shoulders with a soft wave. Her emerald green eyes moved over him slowly, wearily.  
  
When her eyes locked with his, he realized, "You're the Slayer,"  
  
She didn't understand it when pain fell over his face. It was strange enough to have been taught that, other than Master Vampires, most vampires are soulless, mindless, agendaless monsters, and then have this man placed before her. He was everything the texts said a vampire wasn't.  
  
She'd realized in her heart long before the thought entered her head and became words that, he loved Buffy. A vampire and a Slayer, how tragically poetic. It took only a moment longer for Lindsey to fall from her high state of comprehension, and suddenly became uneasy under his overcome, pained stare.  
  
"Angel," Dawn said cautiously as she entered the room behind him. Angel made an attempt to look over his shoulder at her, but simply couldn't pull himself away from the girl. "This is Lindsey," The brunette said somewhat humbly.  
  
No one spoke.  
  
------  
  
A hollow wind weaved through the graveyard. It swept up leaves and flower petals on its way. It swept past her, her head turned to see it go, not wondering where it was going, just that it touched her. The chill it gave her put a smile on her face.  
  
The blond let her hands fall to her side, brushing along the tops of the graves.  
  
"How much further," She whispered with her eyes closed. Letting the gravestones lead her.  
  
"Here," The First said. He stopped walking beside her. Buffy's fingers paused on a head stone. She turned and sat on top of it. Her green eyes opened.  
  
The First stayed where he was, examining her. "How's Spike," he asked. Buffy tilted her head in curiosity.  
  
"Can't you just, blink, and see for your self?" she asked. The First looked down, he smiled at her tone. She'd picked up Spike's cocky, condescending game tricks.  
  
"If I wanted," He said. "But I asked you,"  
  
Buffy pressed her lips together, thinking. "Brooding as ever," she answered with a sarcastic pep. Buffy knew that wasn't what he meant. She looked back at him, he was wearing a characteristically not-amused look. "God." She said, "Touchy much. He's asleep, should be for another couple hours."  
  
"I'm not touchy, just fascinated by you." He said with a touch of inquisitiveness she'd never heard him express before.  
  
"Little old me?" She said, with eyes wide. "I'm nothing fascinating, to use your words. Maybe complicated and arrogant, but fascinating?" she said. A smile crept onto her face.  
  
"What," he asked, noticing her laughter.  
  
"You," she replied. "Look at you." Buffy waved at him. "Why choose an attractive body that I don't know, a stranger by most standards," she quizzed.  
  
"What are you implying." There was only a hint of growl in his voice. Buffy blinked and threw her hands up declaring her innocence. He looked over to his left. "She's here. Play nice." The First said. He looked back at Buffy, his expression changed again. He was peaceful, but. . . she couldn't place it. He blinked as if realizing he was staring and looked away before disappearing.  
  
"Weird," she sighed.  
  
Buffy looked over to the left. There was nothing there. She sighed again and tilted her head, cracking her neck. She rested. Waited.  
  
"Shhh," a voice came from behind her. Buffy turned around on the gravestone, no one was there. She blinked and turned back around.  
  
Laughter to her left, she glanced over. Still no one. Buffy sighed again and stood up. She only got a step away from the headstone before a cold hand slipped into hers. Buffy looked to her right side.  
  
"Drusilla," she smiled. Dru's dark eyes sparkled in the moon light. She stepped in front of Buffy, still holding her hand. She raised their hands and swayed a little, dancing. Dru looked over Buffy long and hard.  
  
"My, what a pretty dolly." She whispered. Her eyes darted back up to meet Buffy's eyes, so seductively it sent a chill down Buffy's spine. Dru smiled a little and stepped up to the girl. She stepped around Buffy to the right, folding her arm across her stomach.  
  
"Nice to have you back," Buffy tried to sound haughty, but her voice was a mere whisper. Dru pressed her body against Buffy's back, using Buffy's own arm to hold her there.  
  
Dru reached up and tilted her head, brushing her hair out of the way, stroking her shoulder. Her thin fingers just grazing the nape of Buffy's neck. Buffy felt her breath get heavy, her knees go weak. She fought to keep her eyes open.  
  
"All healed now," she traced over Buffy's scar. Buffy had hardly thought about it till now. Spike had given her a scar, she was marked. "But he's yet to claim a Queen," she supposed enchanted.  
  
"What," The Slayer wanted to say more, ask her what the hell she was talking about, but she was still breathless.  
  
Dru let go of Buffy's hand. She stood up on her tip toes and lowered her face to Buffy's cold skin and kissed her scar.  
  
"Never had a grandchilde before," she giggled innocently into Buffy's ear. "Welcome to our happy family." Her voice had a soft singsong quality that added to her beauty and mystery.  
  
Buffy smiled too. The blond turned to Spike's sire and took her hand carefully, love dancing in her eyes. Dru lit up, seeing the affection in Buffy's eyes.  
  
Together they walked home. 


	9. NOTE

Grave Flower  
  
A Note from the Author:  
  
Hey. Anyone out there actually following along with this story, just wanted  
to give ya an update. I love this story so far. I think everything's on  
track. . . it's a great escape. Anyway, not what I wanted to say. I'm leaving Monday (July 9th) to go to a writing camp at Duke. Just like fun, except boring. No, it should be helpful; I hope I learn a lot. But I doubt I'll have access to the Internet there. So for two weeks, I'll be writing  
chapters, but I'll have to wait till I get home to post them. Sit tight  
till then. And as always, I love to hear from anyone with an opinion on  
this fic or Buffy in general. Drop me a line and I'll check out your  
stories. Till next time.  
  
Bianca 


End file.
